Genasi

Genasi are human-derived planetouched infused with the power of the elemental planes, often as the result of crossbreeding between humans and the powerful genie races or other elementals that dwell in such planes, but sometimes through other means.Template:Fact Physically powerful and cunning, genasi are a varied race with abilities that vary depending on their lineage and individual experience.

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Genasi are physically similar to humans in many ways, standing at 5'7" to 6'2" on average, just slightly taller than the average human. Between 130 and 225 lbs on average genasi are also a fair bit heavier, though not significantly. In all other ways though genasi are very distinctive from their human kin. Genasi are in a constant state of elemental energy, having no “neutral” state they can fall back on. Each genasi has a native elemental state, known as a “manifestation,” which is passed down to them through their ancestry. A few, however, learn to master more than one manifestation. Unlike many planetouched races, genasi generally take pride in their unusual features.

Regardless of their elemental manifestation, each genasi’s body is etched with strange lines of energy that glow in a color associated with the element that the genasi is currently manifesting. These lines, called szuldar in Primordial, appear in a pattern that is passed along family lines, sometimes extending into small communities as well. Though the patterns may be similar between relatives in a general sense, however, the specific configurations are unique to each individual and serve much the same purpose that fingerprints do amongst humans and these lines remain unchanged even when a genasi changes their manifestation.

Though szuldar usually remain unchanged throughout a genasi’s life it is possible to alter them through scarring. Some genasi do this deliberately for aesthetic reasons or in order to disguise themselves. Most genasi, however, disapprove of the practice and see it as a loss of self-awareness, valuing the patterns they are born with as a mark of their identity. Proud genasi display these lines with pride, often wearing clothing that leaves at least some skin exposed.

Genasi live on a lifespan comparable with humans, though slightly longer, reaching 75 years on average barring accident or violence. Some members of the race live as long as 90 or 100.

Genasi have a number of special abilities granted to them by their elemental heritage. As a rule, Genasi tend to be both stronger and smarter than most other humanoid races, a trait which serves them well. However, other abilities vary depending on a genasi’s elemental manifestation, although some genasi learn to manifest more than one element at a time or enhance their natural elemental abilities.

All genasi have a primary elemental manifestation, which not only separates genasi into subraces but also plays a major role in genasi culture and psychology. Each manifestation is most common in regions where the element it represents has a strong presence, such as deserts, volcanic wastelands, or even underwater in extreme examples. The most common genasi manifestations by far are the ones who are related to the four classical elements - earth, fire, water, and wind - though storm manifestations are also fairly common and para-elemental genasi are known to exist as well. This manifestation results in a variety of unique traits, and genasi skin and “hair” (more of an elemental substance than actual hair) varies based on a genasi’s manifestation. Likewise, each genasi gains a set of abilties that correspond to their element, such as the ability to empower attacks with the power of lightning and thunder amongst stormsoul genasi or the power to take on the properties of water amongst water genasi.

While many genasi are the result of recent dalliances of genies or other elementals with humans, the majority are not, but rather the children of genasi themselves. Ancestry does play a major role in the individual subrace, or primary manifestation of each genasi child. Generally speaking genasi are attracted to others who share their primary manifestation and as a result most genasi children share their subrace with both parents. Exceptions do exist and when the parents are not of the subrace or have a mixed heritage themselves the likelihood of a child manifesting a manifestation different than at least one of his parents increases. All genasi, however, take after some ancestor of theirs in manifestation, even if that ancestor is not their parent.

Although most genasi manifest a single manifestation some learn to manifest two or more. Often, the reason behind the development of a second manifestation is environmental in nature. Children reared in close contact with genasi of a different subrace, for instance, are more likely to develop another manifestation, as are those who are reared in areas where their manifestation’s element is weak or nonexistant. Hence, a firesoul genasi raised in the middle of the ocean on an island is likely to develop a watersoul manifestation as well.

Genasi who manifest more than one manifestation often develop their second one during adolescence. The initial development of this manifestation can often be uncomfortable, even painful and usually comes suddenly and without warning. With practice, this transition becomes less discomforting, with those well-versed in the transformation experiencing little more than a mild and passing unease. The reason for this discomfort lies in the fact that the transition is more than aesthetic in nature and is actually a fundamental change in the physical makeup of the genasi, like replacing the sand in a bag with water.

Some genasi actually learn to not only acquire new manifestations but to maintain two of them simultaneously. These rare individuals, known as elemental tempests, are living embodiments of two elements, their bodies constantly shifting and changing in a never-ending balance between the two. These genasi, whose own appearance differs by the moment, embrace their inner chaos, including the mild physical strain that constantly hangs over each one's fused body.

Because of their roots in the powers of the Elemental Chaos genasi are by nature changeable and contradictory, meaning most generalizations of the race are hard to justify. However, it is probably fair to say that the psychology of a genasi often depends vastly on what elemental manifestation is manifested by the individual in question and many genasi who can manifest in more than one way think of themselves as possessing multiple personalities.

One of the traits found commonly amongst all genasi is a strong sense of ambition. All genasi have a desire to better themselves and advance their status, either throught pursuit of power, the aquisition of friends, or other means. Nearly all genasi have dreams and aspirations and will pursue these goals throughout their life and though few genasi are truly patient so strong are their passions for these goals that they will often continue to follow them even long after individuals of other races would have given up and moved on.

Genasi have a strong ability to adapt, perhaps only superseded by humans in this regard, and embrace change as an inevitability or even something to be relished. Even lawful genasi embrace this change, and genasi of all kinds value the possibilities the future may bring, such as new allies or new opportunities. In many ways, genasi are the most flexible of races, less stubborn and more willing to accept new ideas for better or worse.

Though genasi can be extremely passionate in a way that might seem violent the race as a whole has a love for family and friends, to the point that few genasi marriages end in divorce. Most genasi families are immensely large and the genasi as a whole look upon every genasi as a potential relative to the point of referring to those they meet as “brother,” “sister,” or “cousin.”

Just as manifestations are important physically to genasi, so are they important psychologically. Genasi of one elemental manifestation usually have different personality traits than those of another, to the extent that those who manifest in more than one way have what some might see as multiple personalities, each associated with a different manifestation. However, to most genasi the primary manifestation, that which defines their subrace, is the most important and the true “core” of their psyche, upon which they can rely for consistency and personal integrity.

The multiple personalities expressed by those who manifest more than one element are not completely different, in the way that personalities developed by the mentally ill are. Each personality shares the same knowledge and has core traits that remain the same. Rather, each personality is more like a different aspect of the same individual, representing perhaps a particular emotion or mood of the genasi in question. Particular emotions might be stronger in one manifestation, for instance, and secondary manifestations are usually less nuanced than the primary one is.

The exception to this rule are elemental tempests, sometimes known as genasi tempests, who manifest two elements simultaneously. Because of this constant state of balance between two manifestations elemental tempest personalities are generally limited to two, both very strong aspects of the same individual. Such genasi might be called mercurial or bipolar and switch between strong emotions on the fly. However, at the core an elemental tempest is typically as sane and well-balanced as any other genasi, with the main differenece being that they have no dominant personality but rather two that work in perfect synchronization.

One of the fundamental conflicts that belies all genasi is the battle between order and chaos. Regardless of the race’s origins most genasi philosophers believe the genasi are meant to serve one force or the other. By nature, genasi are inherently chaotic and passionate creatures who lack the ability to be stoic or truly hide their emotions. Even the most disciplined of the race are extremely passionate by the standards of other races and rage with more anger and cry with more sorrow than those of other races. Even so, genasi are not necessarily chaotic and the race as a whole is balanced between those who serve order and those who serve chaos.

Some genasi strive to conquer their strong passions and believe they were meant by the gods to convert chaos into law. These genasi are among the most lawful beings of the world, first conquering their own emotions and then seek out other sources of chaos to stamp out and replace with order. These genasi seek only to fit in with those around them and to prevent their passions from controlling their actions. Many of these genasi are good and benevolent individuals but these genasi are also sometimes led astray by their obsessive taste for order, imposing law through force rather than example or argument.

Other genasi embrace their wild and unpredictable nature, seeing themselves as chaos incarnate. Just as many genasi of the opposite viewpoint see themselves as agents of divine order these genasi believe they were created by the primordials to spread liberty. Genasi of this mindset most often give free reign to their passions and can be best described as excitable and wildly emotional. But while these genasi can easily give into selfish desire and evil just as many are servants of good, freeing others from oppressive tyranny or weakening the foundations upon which the corrupt stand.

Genasi as a culture, likely do to the inherently chaotic nature of their psyche and bodies alike, have a strong affinity for change and chaos. Many genasi philosophers, believe that their race was originally created as a compromise between chaos of the primordials and the divinely crafted world of the gods. A few genasi take this to heart and try to eliminate one or the other aspect of their nature, either becoming agents of chaos or disciples of order, but these individuals are considered the exception rather than the rule. Most genasi are simply grateful for the innate connection to the elemental forces that shaped the world they all share.

Genasi culture is shaped in many ways by ambition and pride amongst the race. Genasi everywhere strive constantly to improve their lot in life and the race is inherently competitive within both itself and with other races. As a result, genasi nations tend to be extremely meritocratic by other races’ standards but lack stability as a consequence. A genasi might be a revered leader one week, only to fall into ruin the next.

This has its advantages though and few, if any, genasi look down upon members of another class since any pauper could, in theory, be king the next time the genasi meets them. Genasi culture likewise has no real concept of nobility or royalty. From a genasi political perspective there are only genasi on the rise and those on the decline. This constantly changing nature means genasi have a very different view of their current situation than most races. Unfortunate genasi find it difficult to feel pessimistic, since they truly believe things will change for the better. Likewise, genasi in positions of prestige and power never forget that all their success could be undone at any moment.

Origins of the Planetouched: If you ask someone how the Planetouched got that way, most folk will tell you that it's due to their anscestry. If you go back far enough in a Tiefling's family tree, they say, you'll find that one of their anscestors was a Baatezu or a Yugoloth or some other kind of lower planar creature. Likewise, if you go back far enough in an Air Genasi's family tree, you'll find that one of their anscestors was a native of the Elemental Plane of Air, such as a Djinn. And sure enough, that's the most common way to become Planetouched.

But that ain't the only way...

Each one of the Inner and Outer Planes has permanent settlements in it. No matter how deadly a plane might be, you can count on there being at least a few permanent residences there. It might be a huge metropolis like the City of Brass, or it might be a town like Madhouse on Pandemonium, or it might be a small citadel like the Dustmen's floating retreat on the Negative Energy Plane. Even the Plane of Vacuum has a few small settlements of barmy sods who live there.

Each one of the Inner and Outer Planes also has a fundamental nature that pervades and suffuses every particle of every location within the plane. The Plane of Smoke, for example, isn't simply an infinitely big space filled with smoke. It's an infinitely big space filled with the idea of smoke. And while a basher living on the Plane of Smoke may be able to keep the smoke out of his kip with magic, there's no magic around that can keep out the idea of smoke. Because the idea of smoke is what the Plane is all about.

For those who have already been born, being constantly suffused with the fundamental nature of a plane doesn't have much effect. The process of being born tends to give a person a sense of self that's hard to change. Even babies fresh from the womb are already starting to define themselves on a very basic level. And once you start defining your sense of self like this, the fundamental nature of the plane you're living on won't have much affect on you.

On the other hand, children who are still developing in the womb don't have this sense of self. As a consequence, it's possible for a child to literally be touched by the plane while developing in the womb. Humans are more likely than any other race to have this happen, but it can happen to any race. And even for humans, it's a rare occurrence -- the overwhelming majority of the folks born on the planes are of the same race as their parents, and show no signs of being Planetouched. But every so often, two otherwise normal parents will produce a Planetouched child. That's just the way of the Planes.

Genasi art is wild and exciting, similar to the race itself. Genasi prefer elaborate and bold designs, using bright and vibrant colors to express the wide range of emotions they feel. Sculptures are often explosive in appearance, resembling surges of power more than anything else. Even for relatively simple or functional items the genasi pour care into giving it a flamboyant appearance, marking it with swirling patterns, gemstones, or elaborate carvings.

Due to the meritocratic nature of genasi society it should come as little surprise that genasi artisans often see their craft as a means of obtaining prestige. These individuals desire nothing more than to be in high demand and so work hard to please their customer base. For this reason many genasi often substitute actual excellence for customization and individuality and while the average genasi swordsmith might not compare with his dwarven counterpart in terms of quality the genasi will work much harder to tailor the blade to his or her customer’s specific needs and wants. This can go so far as to make genasi-crafted items seem uncomfortable or unwieldy in the hands of those they were not intended for.

Genasi love most forms of recreation, particularly competitive ones that allow them to improve their standing amongst other races further. Most genasi prefer recreational activities that are active and physical, allowing them to release their impulses and wilder urges. Physical competitions, particularly those of strength, are common in genasi society and frequently practiced during festivals or other celebrations.

Because of their chaotic and spontaneous nature genasi are not predisposed towards team athletics and prefer sports that favor the individual. Genasi are particularly fond of gladiatorial sports, which allow them to bask in the attention of others while simultaneously releasing pent-up passions. Games that feature genasi are often wild spectacles, loved by crowds.

In genasi culture family plays an important role, likely in part due to the fact that genasi find it difficult to form new friendships and bonds. To most genasi, family bonds are the only ones that are truly reliable and it is far rarer for genasi to become alienated or estranged from members of their family. This is not to say that internal feuds and disputes do not happen, but the vast majority lead to only temporary divides and family members spread over the world will eventually come looking for a reunion.

Most genasi are primarily raised by members of their family that share their primary manifestation. This means that most genasi are raised by their parents, but since some genasi differ in their subrace from their parents they are sometimes raised by others instead or primarily by one parent and the other. However, genasi parents go out of their way to ensure that their children have a chance to interact with genasi of other manifestations, thereby increasing their appreciation for the race as a whole. This is particularly true for families that are made of several manifestations rather than just one or two.

For most genasi, manifestations and the diversity inherent in them are a source of pride and of strength in diversity, though the diversity lies in body and mind rather than culture. Although some manifestations are more common in various regions and hence exhibit cultural differences there are no qualities which could be considered culturally unique to any one manifestation. In spite of this, the genasi consider their manifestation as important an identifier as religion or profession, if not more so.

Because genasi see their manifestations’ diversity as a source of strength the race has an extreme aversion to prejudice against members of one subrace or another. Genasi who are prejudiced on the basis of their manifestation may flare into a dangerous wrath without warning and it is best for members of other races to keep this in mind. Genasi are proud about their manifestation, but also very sensitive, disliking any broad generalizations made in regards to them based on that manifestation.

Because of their elemental origins genasi usually favor elemental magic over other forms of the Art, which they have a particular skill for given their natural elemental abilities. Of those who practice arcane magicwizards are the most common and such individuals usually focus their efforts on researching ways to tie their spells into their manifestations. Though genasi often lack the discipline typical of many wizards they make up for this self-control with a suprising amount of accuracy. For this reason, they also make excellent sorcerers.

As a rule, genasi are not as dogmatic as other races and tend to worship less devoutly and more privately. Most religious genasi have small shrines in their homes and worship whenever they feel like it but never otherwise. As such, few genasi are truly attracted to the faiths of lawful gods with their rigid schedules and highly organized churches.

Although most genasi are descended from the powerful genie races, most often the dao, djinn, efreet, and marid, most genasi have no contact with their elemental forbears. Usually, genies look down upon genasi as bastard half-breeds and rarely will respond positively to one they meet. However, when amongst the mortals, genasi take great pride in their distinctive features and abilities.

Genasi as a whole have no longstanding animosity towards other races, at least not intentionally. Humans of Calimshan however, are often oppressed slaves who must obey the whims of their genasi masters, meaning that though genasi do not necessarily see humans worldwide as an enemy, the antagonism between those within Calimshan is high. However, the genasi of Akanûl are not so cruel and in fact look down upon the slavery of humans. Likewise, though Akanûl shares a fair amount of distrust with the dragonborn land of Tymanther, Calimshan does not. Therefore, it is not accurate to say that the genasi race as a whole regard either dragonborn or humans as their enemies, nor vice versa. In fact, many genasi and humans get along extremely well due to the many psychological similarities between the two races and races that enjoy the company of humans are likely to befriend genasi as well.

Likewise, genasi do not have very many friends, even amongst their own race. Genasi are independent minded as a whole and can be fickle. Many genasi who possess more than one manifestation may even use one manifestation when dealing with one group of friends while using a different manifestation to interact with another set. Others are more picky and choose friends who can cope with their changing nature. Of all the races, probably the Tel-quessir view genasi with the least trust, viewing the genasi’s impulsive nature and strong passions with a little disdsain.

Genasi are sparsely populated throughout the world and mostly found as the result of a genie’s short dalliance with some mortal human. There are some exceptions, however, and the powerful influence of genies on the nation of Calimshan and the continent of Zakhara meant that genasi were more common in these regions.

In Calimshan, populations of genasi that had gone hidden for millennia emerged as the souls of Memnon and Calim were released to war with one another once again. The genasi in Calimshan quickly flew to the sides of their favored leader, leaving Calimshan the barren, war-torn landscape it remains to this day and Calimshan is one of the strongest footholds of the genasi race.

Akanûl in particular remains a genasi stronghold and besides Calimshan is the only nation in Faerûn ruled by the race and unlike the desert land is fairly peaceful in its relations with its neighbors.

There are five major subraces of genasi, though unlike in the case of most races, each genasi variety can obtain the qualities of the others through special training and personal experience.

Frequency of Genasi Types: The most common Genasi are those who have their origins in the four Elemental Planes: Fire, Earth, Water, and Air. This is because the most common way to become a Genasi is by having an elemental anscestor. And since the four Elemental Planes each have a well-represented race (specifically, Genie-kind) that can interbreed with humans and demihumans, Genasi related to these planes make up the bulk of the Genasi found in the Multiverse.

The Para- and Quasi-Elemental Planes and the Positive and Negative Material Planes, on the other hand, tend to be limited with respect to the number of native races capable of interbreeding with humans and demihumans. Some of these planes have no races whatsoever which are capable of interbreeding with humans and demihumans (or, at least, no known races), and so Genasi from these planes occur only when a child of two otherwise normal parents is literally touched by the Plane while in the womb. In these cases, planes with a large number of non-planar settlements will produce more Genasi over time than Planes with few non-Planar settlements.

As a consequence of these differing origins, the various Genasi can be ranked according to how common or rare they are. Inner Planes with races capable of interbreeding with humans and demihumans and which possess many large human and demihuman settlements will produce the most Genasi. Inner Planes with no races capable of interbreeding with humans and demihumans, and which have few permanent human or demihuman settlements will rarely produce Genasi.

Ash Genasi
In many respects, Scions of the Dying Embers
are the opposite of their Smoke Genasi counterparts.
Whereas Smoke Genasi prefer the closed-in hustle
and bustle of a well-populated city, Ash Genasi have
little use for large cities and even less use for crowds.
Residents of the Plane of Ash have a very solitary
outlook on life, even more so than the residents of the
other Inner Planes, and this outlook manifests itself in
the Ash Genasi's natural dislike of cities and crowds.
This isn't to say that Ash Genasi are anti-social or that
they don't like the trappings of civilization; they just
prefer a less hectic existence free of large
concentrations of civilization. Unsurprisingly, Ash
Genasi and Halflings get along quite well.
When an Ash Genasi first leaves the Plane of
Ash, they normally find themselves square in the
middle of Sigil. Given their solitary natures, and
given that Sigil is one of the largest, most crowded
cities in the Multiverse, most Ash Genasi quickly
decide that they've seen enough of the planes for one
lifetime and head back to the Plane of Ash.
Consequently, Scions of the Dying Embers are rarely
found outside their native plane.
But occasionally an Ash Genasi's natural
curiosity about the Multiverse will overcome her
initial reaction to Sigil. And even more rarely, an Ash
Genasi will find a portal or vortex that leads to
someplace besides Sigil. Regardless of how it
happens, these rare Ash Genasi avoid turning tail and
heading back to the Plane of Ash, and they head out
into the vast Multiverse looking for the secluded
areas they enjoy.
In some cases, Ash Genasi who leave their plane
take a liking to a particular area and settle down to
live out a simple, comfortable existence. In other
cases, they become Planewalkers, going from planeto-
plane experiencing a variety of rustic towns,
isolated villages, and remote wilderness regions. Note
that a sweltering, unpopulated tropical jungle on a
prime world, a relatively clear and difficult-to-reach
plateu in Gehenna, and the gatetown of Faunel would
all be equally attractive to the average Ash Genasi.
In appearance, all Ash Genasi will have one or
more of the following traits:
?? Perpetually soot-covered skin
?? Skin that, while not appearing to be sooty,
will leave an ashy residue on anything touching
it
?? An odor reminiscent of burnt wood
?? Dark grey skin and/or hair
Ash Genasi are the only Genasi that don't
receive modifiers to their ability scores. However,
they more than make up for this lack with their innate
abilities. Ash Genasi are immune to the effects of
both non-magical fire and non-magical cold, due to
the nature of their native plane. Additionally, every
five levels they gain a +1 bonus to their saving
throws vs. magical fire-based attacks (but not against
magical cold-based attacks). Finally, Scions of the
Dying Embers can Extinguish Flames once per day.
This ability is similar to the Affect Normal Fires
ability of Fire Genasi, except that it can only be used
to extinguish fires within the area of effect. Ash
Genasi can use this ability as though they were a 5thlevel
caster.
Ash Genasi can be fighters, mages, Fire
Elementalists, Necromancers, fighter/mages,
fighter/Fire Elementalists, or fighter/Necromancers.
Ash Genasi can also become rangers or druids due to
their affinity for isolated wilderness areas, but since
they have no way to study the necessary wilderness
skills while on the Plane of Ash, all Ash Genasi
rangers and druids must learn these skills after
leaving the Plane of Ash. This means that Ash Genasi
rangers and druids will be, on average, several years
older than non-ranger, non-druid Ash Genasi of
similar experience level. To reflect this, determine
their starting age normally and then add 7d4 years.
Scions of the Dying Embers can be of any non-
Lawful alignment.
Dust Genasi
In the minds of most cutters, the Quasi-
Elemental Plane of Dust conjures up images of
decay, decomposition, and disintegration. The Plane
is inimical to both life and to created items, and both
will quickly turn to dust without the proper magical
protection. Amid all this waste and desolation are the
Loreseekers of the Eroding Sands -- the Dust Genasi.
Dust Genasi are fascinated by the history of
things: Buildings, magical weapons, famous (or infamous) bloods, regions, towns, you name it. Most
sages and scholars claim this is due to the fact that
Dust Genasi are raised on a plane where they
routinely see the ultimate embrace which awaits all
things, and have therefore developed a curiosity
about the life before the decay. On the other hand,
some claim that it's the symbolism of accumulated
dust (or sands through an hourglass) representing the
passage of time. And a few berks say it's because
researching the history of dead people and ruined
towns is the only thing that matches the dry, somber
personality possessed by most Dust Genasi. (Note
that this last is woefully inaccurate. While Dust
Genasi are indeed more subdued than most other
Planar races, only their Magma Genasi cousins match
their enthusiasm for research.)
Whatever the reason, most Dust Genasi explore
the planes in much the same manner as their Magma
Genasi cousins. Some Loreseekers of the Eroding
Sands focus their research on one particular location,
person, or item, and spend the rest of their lives
unearthing its history. Other Dust Genasi prefer to
dabble, rather than delve. These are the Planewalking
Loreseekers, and they accumulate a broad base of
knowledge by travelling around the Multiverse. And
finally, some Dust Genasi exist somewhere between
the two, wandering the planes for the most part, but
occasionally settling down for a year or more to more
thoroughly investigate a particular item, region or
person.
All Dust Genasi feature a colored pattern to their
skin reminiscent of sand. Additionally, they will have
one or more of the following:
?? A thin, perpetual coating of sand on their
bodies and/or in their hair
?? A dusty haze surrounding them, extending
about 1 foot out from their body
?? The faint howling of a sandstorm in their
voice
?? A somewhat flimsy consistency to their body,
as though their flesh was filled with sand
instead of bones and muscle
Dust Genasi receive a +1 bonus to both
Dexterity and Constitution, and receive a -1 penalty
to their Strength and Charisma. They are completely
unaffected by the disintegrating nature of their native
plane, and they have a 50% magic resistance to
Disintegrate spells (or any other spells which attack
via disintegration-like effects), in addition to
whatever saving throws may be applicable.
Additionally, they gain a +1 bonus to their saving
throws vs. Earth-based magic every 5 levels. Finally,
Dust Genasi have the ability to Shatter Rock once per
day. This is identical to the 2nd-level Wizard spell
Shatter, except that it works only by touch, and it
affects only rock or stone. Dust Genasi can use this
ability on up to 20 cubic feet of rock or stone.
Dust Genasi can be fighters, mages, Earth
Elementalists, Diviners, or bards. They also have the
option of being a fighter/mage or fighter/Diviner
multiclassed character. Dust Genasi can be of any
non-Chaotic alignment.
Ice Genasi
The crisp, refreshing chill of a mountain stream
fed by melted snow; the biting cold of a deep
blizzard. These are at the heart of Ice Genasi.
The common joke is that Ice Genasi must be
emotionless since they're so cold-hearted, but the
truth is that Ice Genasi are among the most passionate
of all Genasi (Para-, Quasi-, or otherwise). Like all
Para- and Quasi-Genasi, the Children of the Glacier
are intensely curious about the rest of the Multiverse,
but the curiosity of Ice Genasi takes on a passionate
(some berks say "desperate") edge. Common chant
says that life on the Para-Elemental Plane of Ice
doesn't swing much through any particular emotional
extreme, since the natives there do tend to be a touch
on the dispassionate side. So when the Ice Genasi
venture out into the big, wide Multiverse, it seems
they want to make up for lost time and lost
experiences. (As such, most Ice Genasi gravitate
naturally to the Society of Sensation, which shares a
similar philosophy.)
In appearance, all Ice Genasi tend towards
sharp, angular features. Additionally, they have one
or more of the following traits:
?? White or bluish-white hair and/or skin
?? Extremely cold flesh
?? A thin layer of frost in their hair
?? The faint sound of a snowstorm in their voice
Due to their extremely curious and outgoing
natures, Ice Genasi receive a +1 bonus to both
Intelligence and Charisma. Since their curiosity often
gets the better of them, they suffer a -1 penalty to
Wisdom. Additionally, their health often seems as
brittle as a snowflake, so they suffer a -1 penalty to
Constitution. Ice Genasi are completely immune to
the effects of non-magical cold, and can move across
slick, icy surfaces at their normal movement rate
without fear of falling or slipping. As such, Ice
Genasi are often hired by important primes to explore
the arctic areas of various prime worlds. They are
affected normally by magical cold attacks (such as
the breath of a white dragon), but they gain a +1 to
their saving throws against all ice- or cold-based
magic every 5 levels.
Additionally, Children of the Glacier can cast
Frost once per day as though they were a 5th level
Wizard. Frost covers various surfaces with a thin
layer of ice, but is otherwise ident ical to the 1st-level
Wizard spell Grease. Ice Genasi call this ability "composing a rime." (Ice Genasi are, for the most
part, incorrigible punsters.)
Due to their inquisitive nature and their desire to
experience a variety of things, Ice Genasi can be any
class except ranger or paladin. They can also be
multi-classed, and in fact most of them take the
multi-class route since they don't want to restrict
themselves to just one set of experiences. A
combination of any two of the four main character
classes (fighter, mage, cleric, thief) is allowed as an
acceptable multi-class for Ice Genasi. If an Ice
Genasi chooses to be a specialty Wizard, he/she must
choose either Air or Water Elementalism. Similarly,
an Ice Genasi specialty Priest must worship a power
of Ice, Cold, Air, or Water.
Ice Genasi can be of any alignment.
Lightning Genasi
More than any other Inner Plane, the Quasi-
Elemental Plane of Lightning gets lots of visits from
Powers. Oh sure, the four major Inner Planes see
their share of visiting Powers, and the Plane of Ice
gets a few now and again. As for the other Inner
Planes, they occasionally get a Divine visitor from
time-to-time, but it's soddin' rare (and they visit the
Plane of Ooze least of all -- a fact that really torques
the Ooze Genasi). But the Plane of Lightning gets 'em
on a fairly regular, fairly frequent basis. Sometimes it
seems you can't swing a dead wererat without it
passing through some God's divine aura.
Sages of the Multiverse are wont to speculate on
most things, and this subject is no exception. The
consensus seems to be that the various Powers of
storms, lightning, and thunder are more likely to revel
in their area of control. See, most Agriculture deities
(for instance) won't usually have an urge to roll
around in a big field of wheat. But the various stormrelated
Powers seem to really delight in just hanging
out in the middle of rampaging thunderstorms. Thus,
they're more likely to take a side trip to the Plane of
Lightning so they can immerse themselves in the raw,
unbridled display of The Storm.
Whatever the reason may be for these visits,
most Lightning Genasi have experienced the nearness
and presence of a Diety at least once in their lives. Of
course, since being in the direct presence of a Power
is usually enough to turn most cutters to dust and
ashes, Lightning Genasis (at least the ones still living
afterwards) are usually several miles away when they
experience this brief brush with divinity. But divine
power being what it is, this is usually enough to have
a profound impact on a sod's life, and the Lightning
Genasi seem to bear this out.
Vassals of the Storm (as they call themselves)
are fascinated by Powers. Their experience with the
Divine works like an epiphany for most of the sods,
and almost all Lightning Genasi are convinced that
the True Dark of the Multiverse lies in worshiping
the right Power (which is why you'll almost never see
'em in the Athar, and only rarely in the Godsmen).
At first, their fascinat ion tends to revolve around
Powers of storms, lightning, or thunder (since they're
the ones most likely to visit the Plane of Lightning).
But when the Lightning Genasi leave the Plane and
find themselves in the greater Multiverse, most of 'em
discover that there's more to Divinity than just stormbased
Dieties. This usually results in a lot of soulsearching
and temple-visiting and asking lots of
pointed questions to the Priests of various deities.
Planewalking Lightning Genasi take this a bit further
and wander the Realms of the Powers themselves,
going from Realm to Realm and asking their pointed
questions directly of the Proxies of these powers. As
such (and depending on how respectful the Lightning
Genasi is), the life of a Planewalking Vassal of the
Storm can be either very rewarding, or very short.
All Lightning Genasi will possess one or more
of the following physical attributes:
?? Hair that's constantly standing on end, as
from static electricity
?? Brief flashes in their eyes, as though
reflections from a distant thunderstorm
?? Tiny, harmless sparks that dance around their
body and hair as they move
?? The occasional faint rumble of thunder, heard
by anyone within 5 feet of the Genasi
Vassals of the Storm gain a +1 bonus to
Dexterity and Wisdom, but suffer a -1 penalty to
Strength and Constitution. They are completely
immune to non-magical lightning (or other nonmagical
electrical effects) and take only half damage
from magical lightning. Lightning Genasi are also
immune to any deafening, stunning, or other effects
which result from loud, booming noises (magical or
otherwise). Note that this only applies to loud,
booming noises similar to thunder (such as from
Drums of Panic); Lightning Genasi suffer the full
effects of the wail of a Howler, the wail of a Banshee,
the winds of Pandemonium, etc. Lightning Genasi
also gain a +1 bonus every 5 levels to their saving
throws vs. air- or electrical-based magic attacks.
Finally, Lightning Genasi have a Shocking Grasp
ability. The effects are identical to the 1st-level
Wizard spell of the same name. Lightning Genasi can
use this ability once per day, as though they were a
5th-level Wizard.
Lightning Genasi can be fighters, mages, or
clerics. Lightning Genasi cannot be multi-classed, but
due to their fascination with Powers, they have some
interesting class options not available to any other
race in the Multiverse. Any Lightning Genasi cleric
can, upon gaining a new level, opt to become a
specialty priest with enough experience points to put
him at the beginning of half his new cleric level
(round fractions down). This reflects the Lightning Genasi's tendency to investigate the Powers before
deciding which one to follow. (For example, a
Lightning Genasi cleric can, upon reaching 4th or 5th
level, decide to become a specialty priest. The Genasi
will then become a 2nd-level specialty priest with the
bare minimum points necessary to be 2nd-level.) This
also means that a cleric must be at least 2nd level
before becoming a priest, and so no Lightning Genasi
can start out as a specialty priest.
Lightning Genasi fighters and mages can also be
dual-classed (like humans), with the following
restrictions:
?? The other class must be a cleric (so only
fighter-cleric or mage-cleric dual-classed
characters are allowed).
?? The fighter or mage must reach at least 4th
level before starting down the clerical path.
?? Once the character has risen sufficiently high
in the cleric class (i.e 2nd-level), he may opt to
switch to a specialty priest as above. However,
at that point the character must renounce his
other class forever (since the Gods don't like
their priests to be distracted). At the DM's
option, this can be waived under certain
circumstances, such as if the character is a
fighter-cleric dual class and decides to be a
specialty priest of a Power of War or Battle.
(For purposes of the +1 bonus per vs. air- or
electical-based magic every five levels mentioned
above, this goes on hold until the specialty priest
reaches the same level reached by the cleric before he
converted. So you can't reach a +3 bonus as a 15thlevel
cleric, become a 7th-level specialty priest, and
then get another +1 bonus when the priest reaches
12th level. Nice try, though, berk.)
Lightning Genasi can be of any alignment.
Magma Genasi
"Slow, but burning with intense
energy" is the description often used to describe the
Explorers of the Lava.
Like their close cousins the Earth Gensai,
Magma Genasi tend to be ponderous and deliberate in
their outward motions. However, this slow,
monolithic movement disguises a fiercely active and
intelligent mind. As a consequence, the curiosity
typical of all Para- and Quasi-Genasi manifests in
Magma Genasi as a desire to explore, investigate, and
truly understand the Multiverse. For many Lawfully
inclined Magma Genasi, this draws them towards the
Guvners. But regardless of the Faction to which they
belong, Magma Genasi are always among their
Faction's most profound philosophers due to their
constant inquiry and introspection into the nature of
their beliefs and the Multiverse.
On a less political note, Magma Genasi almost
always become active planewalkers. Hopping from
plane to plane and exploring the vast variety of the
Multiverse is certainly one way to learn more about
it, after all. Other Magma Genasi have gone on to
become noted naturalists and researchers, such as
Braus Horfand, who wrote the seminal work on the
ecology of the Lower Planes.
Appearance-wise, Magma Genasi tend to be
thick and bulky, but more rounded than their Earth
Genasi counterparts. Additionally, Magma Genasi
may have one or more of the following:
?? Black or dark brown skin laced with streaks
of red or bright orange
?? Skin that's warm (even hot) to the touch
?? A mild odor of heated rock
?? The faint rumbling of a volcano in their voice
Magma Genasi add +1 to their Intelligence
because of their inquisitive natures, but lose -1 from
their Charisma since they prefer researching
interesting minutiae about the Multiverse instead of
learning standard social graces. Magma Genasi are
completely unaffected by either normal fire or by
lava, and could swim, breathe, and live in an active
volcano if they felt like it (and some do just to keep
away unwanted visitors). Furthermore, Magma
Genasi gain a +1 bonus per every 5 levels applied to
their saving throws vs. magical fire- or lava-based
attacks. Finally, Magma Genasi can Heat Rock once
per day as though they were a 5th-Level Priest. Aside
from the fact that it affects rock instead of metal,
Heat Rock is identical to the 2nd-level Priest spell
Heat Metal.
Magma Genasi can be fighters, mages, specialist
mages, specialty priests, or a multiclassed
fighter/mage or fighter/priest character. Note that
Magma Genasi can't be standard Clerics, since their
desire to investigate and understand the Multiverse
makes them gravitate towards specific dieties.
Magma Genasi who become specialist mages must
specialize in either Elemental Earth or Elemental
Fire. Specialty priests must pick a Power of Fire,
Earth, or Lava.
Magma Genasi can be of any alignment.
Mineral Genasi
Most sods would think a being from the Quasi-
Elemental Plane of Mineral would be a little on the
hard, unfeeling side. After all, not only is the plane
comprised of stones that are harder than rock in most
cases, but those stones are also usually razor sharp. A
cutter has to be extremely thick-skinned -- in the
literal sense -- to survive even a day on the Plane.
But canny bloods know that things don't always
turn out in the obvious, logical way, especially on the
planes. And so it is with Mineral Genasi. Inheritors of the Glittering Stones are singularly large and
imposing -- larger than even their Earth Genasi
cousins -- and they've got a heart to match.
Mineral Genasi grow up on a plane where the
entire collected treasury of the Merkhant sect pales in
comparison to the riches littering the ground within a
mile's radius from thier childhood kip. As such they
really don't understand the notion of hoarding wealt h,
especially just for the sake of hoarding it (which is
why you'll never see a Mineral Genasi in the
Merkhants). This doesn't mean that they don't have
any use for it. But to them, jink is part of the journey.
It ain't the destination. So while they'll keep
themselves in good repair and maybe even save some
for a rainy day (being prepared ain't the same as
"hoarding," after all), you'll never see an Inheritor of
the Glittering Stones living in anything more opulent
than a modest case.
So what do they do with the rest of their jink? 99
times out of 100, Mineral Genasi use it to help the
less fortunate of the Multiverse. Again, this goes back
to their early environment; Mineral Genasi are raised
around vast amounts of material wealth, and they find
it a little disturbing to discover that some berks don't
have two coppers to rub together.
Different Mineral Genasi have different
approaches to helping out the poor and downtrodden.
Some will open up farms or smithies (or something
similar) on one of the Upper Planes (or the portion of
the Outlands near the Upper Planar gatetowns). Then
they'll give down-on-their-luck sods a chance to
come work for 'em and learn a trade. For those less
fortunate cutters with a strong streak of pride that
don't allow 'em to accept charity, this works out fairly
well. Other Inheritors will open up soup kitchens or
resthouses to give luckless bashers 3 squares a day
and a roof over their head at night. And the rare
Mineral Genasi thief will usually find some
oppressive rich berk to steal from, and will then give
this stolen loot back to the oppressed folk in question.
(It should be noted that, despite what a cutter might
think, Mineral Genasi rarely join the Ring-Givers.
This is because the Ring-Givers give stuff away in
hopes that they'll get more stuff in return. Inheritors
of the Glittering Stones, on the other hand, are
genuinely altruistic. When they help a cutter, they
honestly don't expect anything in return.)
Planewalking Mineral Genasi tend to think a
little bigger with regard to helping out the
downtrodden, and they will usually seek out villages,
towns, or occasionally entire regions that are downon-
their-luck for whatever reason (usually due to
marauding bands of raiders, drought, famine, or
something along those lines). When this happens,
they'll usually attempt to take whatever corrective
action they feel necessary to get the village, town, or
region back on its feet.
In appearance, Mineral Genasi are large, thick
and imposing. Their features are sharp and angular,
like the gemstones from their native plane. They also
have a natural armor class of 8, and will have one or
more of the following traits:
?? Rough, dark brown skin or smooth, dark grey
skin.
?? A few small (half-inch diameter) crystalline
stones of various colors embedded in their flesh
(these crumble to worthless dust if somehow
removed from the Mineral Genasi)
?? Eyes that seem faceted (like a cut diamond)
Inheritors of the Glittering Stones receive a +1
bonus to their Strength (big, thick Earth creatures can
pack quite a wallop), but suffer a -1 to Dexterity (big,
thick Earth creatures are rarely agile). Mineral Genasi
have a natural 50% magic resistance to all spells (or
spell-like effects) which would turn 'em to stone.
Standard saving throws will still be applicable if the
magic resistance fails. Additionally, Mineral Genasi
receive a +1 bonus to their saving throws vs. earthbased
magic every 5 levels. They also can identify
and appraise precious gems and jewelry with 100%
accuracy. Finally, Inheritors of the Glittering Stones
can Shape Stone once per day, as the 3rd-level Priest
spell Stone Shape. They can affect 15 cubic feet of
stone or rock in this fashion.
Mineral Genasi can be any class but Ranger or
Druid. Mineral Genasi Paladins must be
Planewalkers, moving from plane to plane, seeking
villages, towns, or regions which are being oppressed
by raiders, corrupt officials, or what-have-you. (Note:
This excludes locations on the Lower Planes, since
these locations are evil by nature, and are not
therefore oppressed.) Once a Planewalking Mineral
Genasi Paladin finds an oppressed area, he is bound
by honor to stay until the area is no longer oppressed.
Leaving before that time will cause the permanent,
irrevocable loss of Paladin status.
Mineral Genasi thieves must steal only from
oppressive rich berks (like a greedy merchant or a
corrupt sheriff) and give the stolen wealth back to the
folks oppressed by these knaves.
Mineral Genasi can specialize in Earth
Elementalism or Necromancy. They can also be
specialty priests of Powers dealing with Earth, Wealth
or Altruism. Inheritors of the Glittering Stones can be
multiclassed fighter/mages, fighter/clerics,
fighter/thieves, mage/clerics, or mage/thieves. They
can be any Good alignment.
Ooze Genasi
As one might guess, bashers from the Para-
Elemental Plane of Ooze have a hard time getting
respect from the rest of the Multiverse. After all, the
other Inner Planes have something going for 'em,
from the burning majesty of the Plane of Fire to the
immeasurable wealth of the Quasi-Elemental Plane of
Mineral to the bitter cold of the Para-Elemental Plane
of Ice. Whether it's due to the beauty, the power, the
riches or the deadliness of the particular plane, the
other Inner Planes inspire respect.
On the other hand, there's nothing particularly
inspiring about Ooze. And Dwellers of the Mud (as
they call themselves) get this repeatedly drummed
into their heads from the moment they step off the
Para-Elemental Plane of Ooze. While some Ooze
berks develop a crushing inferiority complex from all
this lack of respect, most Ooze Genasi react in both of
the following ways:
First, they become over-confident overachievers.
They push themselves to the limit, and more, just to
prove their worth. For Ooze Genasi with the skill to
back it up, this can often be a boon. Many Ooze
Genasi have skyrocketed to fame and fortune due to
their "I can do it if I just try hard enough" attitude.
For Ooze Genasi less able to put their jink where their
bone-box is, this over-confidence can have sometimes
humorous, sometimes deadly, results. While an Ooze
Genasi would (almost) never be over-confident
enough to do something obviously stupid like trying
to best a Titan in a wrestling contest, it's not unheard
of for an Ooze Genasi to imagine themselves the
equal of a Pit Fiend or an Arcanoloth when it comes
to understanding binding contracts and the loopholes
therein. T he results of such folly are predictable.
Secondly, they try to hold up mud, ooze, muck,
and so forth as equally worthy of respect and
admiration as the other elements (and para- and quasielements).
They're constantly trying to find new ways
to inspire folks with mud. From artistic creations
made of mud to cosmetic mud-baths to weapons that
sling mud, almost all Ooze Genasi strive to increase
the respect accorded their native element. So far, the
results have been less than impressive. But the Ooze
Genasi keep trying.
Ooze Genasi always display one or more of the
following traits:
?? Skin that seems almost to flow and drip
?? A skin color reminiscent of mud or silt
?? A thin film of moisture covering their entire
body
?? The faint aroma of moist earth
Their resilient natures provide them with a +1
bonus to Constitution and Dexterity, but their overconfidence
results in a -1 penalty to Wisdom and
Charisma. Dwellers of the Mud are amphibious and
can function in water as easily as air, and they swim
at a movement rate of 15. Additionally, they can also
function in mud as though they were in air, and many
Ooze Genasi prefer to sleep completely submerged in
pits of mud or silt. Every five levels, Ooze Genasi
also get an additional +1 bonus to their saving throws
vs. water- or earth-based magic.
Once per day, Ooze Genasi can Create Mud.
Create Mud is a lesser version of the 5th-Level Wizard
spell Transmute Rock to Mud. By standing on bare
earth or rock, an Ooze Genasi can create a 3-ft deep
mud pit, centered on the caster, with a radius of up to
50 feet. The duration of this effect is identical to the
Transmute Rock to Mud spell. Genasi use this talent
most often to give them a place to sleep while on the
trail, but since walking through a 3-ft deep pit of mud
will slow most bashers down, it also comes in handy
for thwarting pursuit. Note that they can only use this
ability to affect the ground beneath them. Cave walls
(for instance) would be unaffected by this ability,
even if the Ooze Genasi were somehow standing on
the wall, unless gravity naturally pulled her towards
the wall (as on the plane of Pandemonium).
Ooze Genasi can be fighters, mages, fighter/mages,
or (interestingly enough) paladins. Ooze Genasi
paladins (called Silt Knights) occur when an Ooze
Genasi (in typical Ooze Genasi fashion) decides that
she will be the sworn protector of a particular town
(prime or planar), region (prime or planar) or realm.
(Ooze Genasi are nothing if not big thinkers.) In
adopting this town, region, or realm, the Ooze Genasi
swears to defend it from evil at all costs. A Silt
Knight might adopt the gate town of Tradegate, for
instance, or the Great Glacier of Toril. They're free to
leave their designated area at any time (to visit
relatives, for instance), but if they undertake a quest
that doesn't directly or indirectly relate to the
protection of this area, they lose their paladin abilities
until such time as they atone for it in the normal
fashion of paladins. If the area under protection
should somehow get destroyed during the paladin's
absence, the paladin immediately (and irrevocably)
loses all paladin status, and becomes a fighter of the
same level.
Radiance Genasi
Radiance Genasi (known among themselves as
Disciples of the Incandescent Colors) hail from a
plane where every moment of their existence is
surrounded by, and suffused with, a scintillating,
never-ending display of the most beautiful colors and
lights in the Multiverse. As a consequence, most of
the Radiance Genasi that leave the Plane of Radiance
are profoundly and utterly disappointed by the
(comparatively) dull and dreary nature of the rest of the Multiverse. And so, in a similar fashion to their
Ash Genasi cousins, most Radiance Genasi figure
they've seen enough of the Multiverse and
immediately head back home.
But, like their Ash Genasi cousins, a few stick
around. These are the Radiance Genasi who hit the
planes and figure "It can't all be this dull and dreary."
So they let their natural curiosity take hold and they
begin wandering the planes looking for things of
Beauty. To their credit, these Genasi usually discover
somewhere along the way that "Beauty" can take
forms other than blindingly brilliant and beautiful
colors, and they gain a respect for the artworks of
many cultures (both Prime and Planar). In some
cases, Radiance Genasis even learn to appreciate art
from cultures most other folks wouldn't consider
"beautiful," such as Kobold "dung and worm
sculpture" -- a medium most bashers can't appreciate.
Fortunately, most Disciples of the Incandescent
Colors don't go quite this far in their quest for art and
"beauty".
It should be noted that occasionally a Radiance
Genasi will decide to make their own beauty rather
than seeking it out. Probably the most famous of these
is the woman known simply as The Coruscate, who
has the ability to make achingly beautiful sculptures
out of "solid light." How she shapes the lights and
keeps them mobile, suspended, and permanent is a
dark to everyone but her.
And, of course, many of these Radiance Genasi,
whether they're searching for "Beauty" or making
their own, will twig to the notion that "Beauty" isn't
necessarily visual, and they'll begin seeking (or
crafting) literature, poetry, music, and so forth.
Basically, if it's artistic in any way, there's probably
some Radiance Genasi either doing it or searching it
out among the planes.
Radiance Genasi are visually striking. Their skin
is always a vibrant, distinctive color (green, blue,
purple, and so on), and their hair is usually a violently
contrasting color from their skin. Additionally, they'll
have one or more of the following:
?? A faint glow about them (too faint to do
anything other than pinpoint their location in a
pitch dark room)
?? The ability to change their hair color at will
?? Skin that's warm to the touch
Despite their vari-colored skin and hair, most
Radiance Genasi are extremely attractive, so they
gain a +1 bonus to their Charisma. They also gain a
+1 bonus to their Intelligence to reflect their natural
appreciation for art in its varied forms. Unfortunately,
Radiance Genasi are notoriously frail, so they suffer a
-1 penalty to both Strength and Constitution.
Radiance Genasi are completely immune to both
natural fire and to being blinded by bright light (even
if the bright light is magically induced). This isn't to
say that they can't be blinded; the Wizard spell Power
Word, Blind (for instance) doesn't rely on bright light
to achieve the blinding effect, and Radiance Genasi
are therefore just as susceptible to that spell as are any
other group of berks. However, casting a Continual
Light spell (for example) on a Radiance Genasi's eyes
won't have any effect. Radiance Genasi also receive a
+1 bonus to their saving throws vs. fire-based magic
and illusions every 5 levels. Note that this bonus
applies to illusions (i.e. magical constructs which rely
on fooling the optical senses) but not to phantasms
(i.e. magical constructs placed directly in a cutter's
mind, bypassing the optical senses entirely).
Additionally, Radiance Genasi can create Continual
Light once per day, as the 2nd-level Wizard spell.
They can use this ability as though they were a 5thlevel
caster.
Radiance Genasi can be fighters, mages, Fire
Elementalists, Illusionists, clerics, specialty priests
(must follow a power of fire, light, or beauty),
thieves, or Bards. They can also be multiclassed
fighter/illusionists, fighter/bards, or
Illusionist/thieves. Note that most Radiance Genasi
thieves become art thieves. They can be of any
alignment.
Salt Genasi
All Para- and Quasi-Genasi have a natural
curiosity about the rest of the Multiverse, but in Salt
Genasi this curiosity has flowered into a passion for
exploring matched only by their Magma, Dust, and
Steam Genasi cousins. And like their cousins, Salt
Genasi have focused on the single-minded
exploration of one particular facet of the multiverse.
Just as Magma Genasi often focus on exploring
the naturalistic side of the Multiverse (writing
treatises on the life cycle of the Ethyk, for instance, or
studying the ecology of Jangling Hiter), Salt Genasi
tend to concentrate on exploring the waterways of the
planes. Oceans, lakes, rivers, seas, and even swamps
and marshes; any reasonably sized body of water is
enough to make the average Salt Genasi feel an urge
to map its boundaries, explore its expanse, and
experience life to the fullest while sailing its surface.
Interestingly enough, of all the planar races,
none are as enamored of the Prime Material Plane as
are the Wanderers of the Brine. This stems from the
fact that oceans on the planes usually cover entire
layers (Ossa, Thalasia), they're usually fairly
homogeneous ("One stretch of Ossa is pretty much
the same as any other," is a common saying am ong
Salt Genasi), and smaller bodies of water are
infrequent in comparison to the amount of land.
Prime worlds, on the other hand, often have
more water than land. Moreover, the oceans of one
prime world are usually vastly different from those of
other prime worlds, and in many cases there are vast
differences within the same ocean. And for those more interested in rivers, lakes, and other somewhat
smaller bodies of water, you really just can't beat the
Prime for variety.
As if that weren't enough (and you'd certainly
think it would be), many Salt Genasi have discovered
Spelljamming and have taken to it with the same
enthusiasm that they have for exploring oceans on the
Prime. In their minds, it's just another type of ocean to
explore. And since Spelljamming allows them to go
from Prime world to Prime world without needing
portals or gates, many Salt Genasi end up on the
Prime and never return to the Planes. Because of all
this hopping about on the Prime, Salt Genasi who
spend most of their time on the Prime call themselves
Primewalkers . This is an obvious reference to the
more common Planewalker, and a not-so-subtle hint
to their fellow Planars that the Prime is also a plane
worthy of respect, just like the Abyss or Bytopia.
This isn't to say that you won't find Salt Genasi
exploring planar waterways. In one particularly
interesting case, a Wanderer of the Brine named
Hobart Frimax has modified a Spelljamming ship to
make it submersible, and is exploring Thalasia
beneath the waves. In another instance, a Salt Genasi
named Mitel Cannate is busy exploring the layer of
Belerin (and staying one step ahead of both the
Asuras and the Hydra), on the Plane of Elysium. And
Salt Genasi who are more interested in profit than in
exploration routinely set up shop as ferrymen on the
River Oceanus. However, these are the exceptions
rather than the rule.
In appearance, Salt Genasi possess one or more
of the following traits:
?? An encrusting of salt on their skin and/or in
their hair
?? Lips which seem perpetually parched and
cracked (although this causes no discomfort to
the Salt Genasi)
?? An odor of brine about them at all times
The open-mindedness of Salt Genasi (without
which they'd view the Prime as a waste of time)
grants them a +1 bonus to their Wisdom scores. Their
physical appearance, however, causes them to suffer a
-1 penalty to their Charisma. Salt Genasi have no
need whatsoever to drink, and never suffer the effects
of thirst. Salt Genasi can breathe water as if it were
air, but their movements underwater suffer the same
restrictions as the movements of normal land-based
characters. Every five levels they gain a +1 bonus to
their saving throws vs. water-based magic. Wanderers
of the Brine can Destroy Water once per day, at will.
This is the reverse of the 1st-Level Priest spell Create
Water, and Salt Genasi can cast it as though they were
a 5th-level priest.
Their wandering natures prevent them from
having the time to intensely study magic, and so they
cannot be mages. However, their wandering nature
certainly lends itself to picking up the odd bit of
magical info here and there, so Salt Genasi can be
Bards. They can also be fighters, clerics, or specialty
priests (must worship a power of water, sailors,
exploring, or the sea). They can also be multiclassed
fighter/clerics or fighter/bards, and can be of any non-
Lawful alignment.
Smoke Genasi
Silent, stealthy, and comfortable in shadows,
Smoke Genasi are the most urban of all the Para- and
Quasi-Genasi. This isn't because the Para-Elemental
Plane of Smoke is populated with cities, but rather
because once a Smoke Genasi leaves the Plane of
Smoke, they discover that they're uncomfortable in
wide open spaces where a berk can see for miles and
miles on a clear day. This isn't to say that a Smoke
Genasi can't function out in the open; they just don't
like it (a Smoke Genasi on a mountain top is a
miserable berk indeed). Cities (and the bigger, the
better) provide Shadows of the Vapors with a
measure of psychological security due to the closed-in
nature of most cities. And if the city has a lot of
smoke and/or smog, so much the better. Small
wonder, then, that Sigil has the greatest concentration
of Smoke Genasi outside of the Plane of Smoke itself.
Para- and Quasi-Genasi are notoriously curious
about the Multiverse (or aspects thereof), and
Shadows of the Vapors are no exception. However,
their curiosity takes the same urban direction that they
themselves take; Smoke Genasi are dedicated and
enthusiastic city dwellers. This doesn't mean they're
always happy and cheerful about their lot in life.
They've got the same problems as regular berks, after
all. But Smoke Genasi are fascinated by city life like
no other race in the Multiverse. They can gaze for
hours at the endless ebb and flow of traffic on a city
street, watching the intricate patterns of life play
themselves out on the cobblestones. Indeed, many
Smoke Genasi become merchants or innkeepers
precisely so they can more fully experience the life of
the city. And the rare Smoke Genasi planewalker
travels from city to city on the planes in an effort to
compare, contrast, and explore the different urban
settings of the Multiverse.
Smoke Genasi always have a faint odor of
smoke about them, and this odor can often indicate
their mood. The pleasant odor of smoked cedar, for
instance, may indicate that the Smoke Genasi is in a
generous mood, while a sharp and acrimoniously
smoky odor might indicate anger or jealousy.
Additionally, Smoke Genasi will have one or more of
the following:
?? Dark gray hair that moves of its own accord
like smoke coming off a fire
?? Mottled gray skin which seems to change
coloring and pattern from moment to moment
?? A choking, coughing tone to their speech Smoke Genasi receive a +1 bonus to Dexterity
and Intelligence, and a -1 penalty to Strength and
Constitution. They're immune to the effects of normal
flame, but take normal damage from magical flames.
However, they receive a +1 bonus to their saving
throws vs. magical fire every 5 experience levels.
They can also breathe smoke without penalty and
suffer only half-damage from magical clouds (like
Stinking Cloud). Note that this only applies to those
magical clouds which require inhalation before the
detrimental effects occur. Spells like Cloudkill work
by contact, not inhalation, and thus Smoke Genasi
aren't any more resistant to these spells than anybody
else. Finally, Smoke Genasi can create a Wall of
Smoke once per day. This is identical to the Wizard
spell Wall of Fog, except that a barrier of smoke is
created. Creatures within this barrier suffer no
damage, but must spend the same number of rounds
recovering (clearing their eyesight, regaining their
breath, and so forth) that they spent inside the Wall of
Smoke, unless they prepared for it (by holding their
breath, perhaps, or breathing through a wet rag).
Shadows of the Vapors can be fighters, mages,
thieves, fighter/thieves, or mage/thieves. They can be
of any alignment.
Steam Genasi
The Quasi-Elemental Plane of Steam is known
by many names: The Great Fog, the Obscuring Mists,
or simply The Hidden. The very image of the plane
conjures up visions of secrecy and mystery and longlost
Darks. As with most things in the Multiverse,
there's probably something to all these names. That is,
if the Steam Genasi are any indication.
Steam Genasi call themselves Lanterns of the
Mists, and most bashers on the Planes figure this to be
a fairly apt description. Like their Magma, Dust, and
Salt Genasi cousins, Steam Genasi are ardent,
enthusiastic explorers of the Multiverse. But the
Lanterns of the Mists specialize in (and excel at) the
exploration of the obscure.
For some Steam Genasi, this means investigating
hidden Darks and unearthing lost (or forbidden)
knowledge. This could be anything from uncovering
the Dark of why Nemausus has gone missing from
Arcadia, to discovering the pattern of a shifting portal
in the Hive, to capturing the murderer of the late
Colonel Halvart.
But for most Steam Genasi -- the overwhelming
majority, in fact -- this means taking the first portal
out of Sigil and striking off for parts unknown. Steam
Genasi have a burning curiosity about those areas of
the Planes about which there is little (if any)
information. Find a spot on the Planes that nobody
knows anything about and you can bet that a Steam
Genasi will find some way to get there and return
alive to tell the tale. One Steam Genasi, a sod named
Strom, is systematically mapping Agathion, the fourth
layer of Pandemonium. Another Steam Genasi, Kaul
Wildmarten, is exploring the nether reaches of Pelion,
on Arborea. And an unknown Steam Genasi is
wandering about on the Great Glass Sea, on the
continent of Taladas, on the Prime world of Krynn.
Given all this exploration of the unknown, it's no
wonder why most bashers tend to be respectful of
Steam Genasi. For one thing, a lot of the knowledge
collected about the lesser-traveled regions comes
directly as a consequence of the Lanterns of the
Mists. And for another, anybody who wanders into
unknown areas of the Planes and lives to tell about it
is not someone a body would want to cross. After all,
it's one thing to visit Jangling Hiter after consulting
with sages and planewalkers to find out the
preparations needed to come back from the visit with
all your skin still attached. It's another thing entirely
to just gad about the lesser-traveled portions of the
layer of Minauros without any prior knowledge of
who may be out there or what it might take to keep
'em from putting you in the dead-book. Most sods
would call such exploring barmy, but experienced
Steam Genasi can do it and return six weeks later to
toss the chant about it over a cup of mead and a game
of dice.
Appearance-wise, Steam Genasi are the most
human-looking of all the plane-touched. All Steam
Genasi have one or more of the following traits:
?? Perpetually wet hair
?? The odor of fog about them
?? A perpetual coating of water droplets on their
skin and in their hair
?? A faint haze surrounding them, extending
about 1 foot from their skin
Interestingly enough (and with only a very few
exceptions), Steam Genasi avoid some of the more
popular fashion trends evinced by many Planars
(especially Sigillians). In particular, Steam Genasi do
not pierce their bodies (female Steam Genasi may be
occasionally seen with one piercing per earlobe, but
even this is rare), nor do they affect the tattoos or
body painting prevalent among other Planar races.
The Dark of why the Steam Genasi, as a whole, seem
to avoid these things remains a mystery. (Along these
lines, the humble author of this description pointed
out this mystery to a Steam Genasi of the author's
acquaintance. The Steam Genasi in question is now
assembling a team to investigate. A trip to the Quasi-
Elemental Plane of Steam is anticipated, and
interested cutters are invited to inquire at the Rotting
Treant tavern, off of Bloodmarsh Way, in the Lower
Ward.)
Steam Genasi have earned a well-deserved
reputation for being tough to kill, and this is doubtless
due to their +1 bonus to Dexterity and Constitution.
However, they do seem more susceptible to mindcontrolling
spells (-1 penalty to Wisdom), and they're not particularly powerful (-1 to Strength). Lanterns of
the Mists can breathe water as though it was air, but
they suffer the same movement penalties underwater
as if they were any other land-based race. They gain a
+1 bonus to their saving throws vs. water- and
necromantic-based magic every five levels. Finally,
they can Obscure themselves once per day. This is a
spell-like ability identical to the 2nd-level Wizard spell
Obscurement, and Steam Genasi cast it as though they
were 5th-level casters.
Steam Genasi can be fighters, mages, Abjurers,
Diviners, or bards. They can also be fighter/mages,
fighter/Abjurers, or fighter/Diviners. They can be of
any alignment.
Vacuum Genasi
"There are three types of sages: Those
who do not mind admitting when they
do not know the answer to a question,
and those who do mind.
Two types of sages."
--Xansost the Slaad
Ask a sage to describe the sort of being that
would be native to the Quasi-Elemental Plane of
Vacuum, and many (perhaps most) sages would
mutter something about "creatures of pure thought"
and then quickly change the subject. Bring up the
existence of Vacuum Genasi and ask these same
sages how a "creature of pure thought" could produce
a half-breed, and most will have you forcibly
removed from the premises.
Despite the difficulties in explaining their
existence, there's no denying that they do exist. Of
course, as things in the Multiverse tend to go, lots of
berks wish they didn't. Y'see, the Quasi-Elemental
Plane of Vacuum isn't a popular plane. There's no air,
no sound, damned few pockets of other Elemental
matter, even fewer residents, and almost no visitors.
Oh sure, it has the occasional bit of excitement -- after
all, in an infinitely large plane, something's bound to
happen from time-to-time to break up the monotony.
But outside of the Positive and Negative Energy
Planes, the Plane of Vacuum is the most difficult
Inner Plane on which to survive (since Airy Element
and Breathe Element spells don't work on vacuum,
among other reasons), and so excitement happens
here a bit less on average than on the other Inner
Planes. As a consequence, the Offsp ring of the Void
are probably the least sophisticated race in the planes.
And that's putting it mildly.
Think of the most clueless, wide-eyed Prime
berk you can think of, and they'll look like Tarsheva
Longreach herself next to the average Vacuum
Genasi. But whereas Primes are clueless due to their
arrogant assumption that their Crystal Sphere is the
Center of the Multiverse, Vacuum Genasi are clueless
because they have absolutely no experience with
things most everyone else takes for granted. Like
razorvine. Or tanar'ri. Or smog.
And when you couple the natural curiosity about
the Multiverse that exists in all Para- and Quasi-
Genasi with the cluelessness that exists in all Vacuum
Genasi, you'll find that they often act even more
clueless than Prime berks. Since they come from a
plane that has almost nothing in it, everything is new
and exciting to an Offspring of the Void. So Vacuum
Genasi spend a lot of time wandering the planes with
an excited, awe-filled expression pasted on their
faces, and this is true whether they're looking at
Mount Olympus or a pile of Bebilith droppings.
Most Vacuum Genasi get over it, eventually, if
they live. But it usually takes longer for them to shed
their "cluelessness" than it does for even the most
backward Prime. And even experienced, powerful
Vacuum Genasi still have a touch of the "wide-eyed
tourist" about them. Growing up in a nearly empty
plane is not something one loses easily, after all.
Offspring of the Void all look very gaunt,
sometimes to the point of seeming emaciated
(although they're perfectly healthy). Additionally,
they have one or more of the following traits:
?? an area of "dead air" extending about 1 ft. from their
bodies, in which sounds seem muted, the air seems a
little thin, and/or odors are non-existent
?? hair that's unaffected by even the strongest
wind
?? skin that's dry and cool to the touch, and
never perspires
Because of their gaunt frame, Vacuum Genasi
suffer a -1 penalty to Strength. But because they do
not need to breathe, they've never had to suffer from
air-borne illnesses. Consequently, their Constitution is
exceptionally hardy and they gain a +1 Constitution
bonus. Vacuum Genasi are completely immune to the
effects of vacuum whether natural or induced by
magic. Since they don't need to breathe, they're also
immune to harmful vapors which do their damage by
being inhaled. Additionally, they gain a +1 bonus to
their saving throws vs. air-based magic every 5 levels.
Finally, Vacuum Genasi can create Silence, 15'
Radius with themselves in the center (like the 2ndlevel
Priest spell) as though they were a 5th level
caster.
Vacuum Genasi can be fighters, mages, clerics,
or thieves. They can also be multiclassed
fighter/mages, fighter/thieves, or mage/thieves. They
can be of any alignment.

Genasi should be as varied as any other kind of planetouched. An earth genasi might have the blood of some spirit of soft soil or ooze, or some kind of brittle crystalline elemental. Or they might have skin as tough and shiny as steel. An air genasi might have all the might of a hurricane, or be as delicate as a sprite. All attempts to generalize them will fall short.

Let me reiterate that most of those ideas are stolen from Chaosium's Nephilim RPG (except Bogo, whose dad was a Spirit of the Air - originally I wanted to base him on a "Nephilim" harpy, but the result would have been another rogue, and there's no point in that). Anyway, the Planewalker's Handbook specifically mentions that some air genasi are spawned by Spirits of the Air, so that was a hole to fill. Genies tend to be pretty fleshy, by the way, so it seems like the genasi descended from them wouldn't look like or have the same abilities as "typical" genasi either.

The half-elementals created by Monte Cook for Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil and reprinted in the new Manual of the Planes seem to be an attempt to create the beings from which standard genasi are derived. Half-elementals are to genasi as half-celestials are to aasimar. They look the same, but they're a bit more powerful, with a wider variety of supernatural abilities. Each of the four types has a different favored class, too. Half-elementals would make another good base to make genasi with alternate talents from.

Genasi in the Planewalker's Handbook have charisma penalties (and reaction penalties piled on top of that) because they're supposed to be all alien, inscrutible, arrogant, and convinced of their own superiority over all non-elemental forms of life. Half-elementals don't have this problem, though, so that's a justification to drop it from genasi. At least sometimes.

Unless genasi are going to get the extra feat and skill points a human gets, they should probably have special abilities. The ones in the PW's Handbook are a good start. It shouldn't be hard to think of others - some interesting ones could come from obscure elemental spells. I'd like to - coming up with variant genasi is fun.

There's something to be said for giving them a higher ECL. Creatures with nicknames like Wind Dukes, Earth Princes, Wave Kings, and Flame Lords should be more potent than humans of the same level. Well, they don't have to be - it could be all bluster - but they probably are. And they're so damn cool that I would play a genasi even if I had to give up a level for it.